


Cotton

by robotjellyfish



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Hurt and comfort, Lance Needs a Hug, M/M, Season 6 Spoilers, and shiro needs to relax, hints of angst but mostly fluff, shance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 16:45:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14981303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotjellyfish/pseuds/robotjellyfish
Summary: The team return to Earth but Shiro needs some time to recuperate, away from it all. Lance offers his family's home and Shiro readily accepts, and maybe, he can finally ask Lance why he's been avoiding him.





	Cotton

**Author's Note:**

> happy shanciversary!!! Today is a very special shance day so I quickly wrote this because I wanted to post something today! And my poor weak heart is still broken after S6, si i had to write something that was a bit angsty and fluffy. Some spoilers for season 6.
> 
> Edit: Check out this gorgeous art by [Fell](https://ifellfromtheskies.tumblr.com/) inspired by this fic! I love this from the bottom of my heart. 
> 
> I'm honestly so moved by the reaction to this fic. Everyone has been far too sweet and kind. Thank you everyone.
> 
> I've also fixed some grammar and typo errors, so hopefully I'e caught everything that was wrong.

“Shiro can stay with my family.”  
  
“Uh, I mean, if he wants,” Lance quickly stammers as the conversation comes to an abrupt halt and there's a sharp hiss of static over the comms.  
  
They've only just reached Earth, and are currently floating somewhere in the planet’s orbit. Pidge has sent a signal to the Garrison, and any other neighbouring space stations that might be watching so they don't alarm them, and they all have clearance to land, but first, they needed to discuss the elephant in the room.  
  
Shiro.  
  
After coming back from the dead, he needs time to recover, time away so he can gather his thoughts and process what happened. They won't leave Earth without him (unless Shiro wants them too), but he needs time to take a step back. At least that is what Keith and Allura decide between them.  
  
“Shiro needs somewhere safe to relax, Lance.” Keith's cutting voice breaks the awkward silence, and he doesn’t mean to sound so sharp but he's still very defensive over Shiro, and nothing is good enough.  
  
“Varadero is perfectly safe and relaxing!”  
  
Lance catches sight of Shiro's face on one of the screens, and for the first time, Shiro is looking directly at the camera. Until then, Shiro hadn't said a word. Weary and worn he sat quietly and let everyone talk over him, not bothering to voice his own feelings on the matter, but he's paying attention now. In the dark purple light of the Black lion, he looks washed out, tired in a way that goes beyond physical exhaustion. The effect even starker thanks to his shocking white hair, and yet there is a hint of something soft and warm in his expression. A smile.  
  
“That sounds nice. I'd like to take you up on that offer.” Shiro says, in a soft but clear voice that says his mind is made up.  
  
“What?” Keith almost sounds offended, and Lance can only stare at the screen and the lines on Shiro's face that seem to fade now that he's smiling.  
  
“But Shiro you don't even know them!”  
  
“They're Lance's family,” Shiro says simply. As if that solves everything. Keith can't argue with that.  
  
Lance looks down at his console, he can't face the screens any more. “Ok. I'll call my mom when we land and sort it out.”

* * *

  
  
“You don't have to agree just to avoid hurting Lance's feelings you know,” Keith says when the comms cut off and they're alone in the lion.  
  
“I didn't,” Shiro says calmly.  
  
Keith doesn't look convinced, but he says nothing as he steers the Black lion through Earth's atmosphere.  
  
The offer took Shiro by surprise. Ever since his revival, it seems as if Lance is avoiding him. The Red paladin barely looks him in the eye, and even when Shiro does manage to get close to him, Lance constantly looks troubled, or pained, so Shiro didn't bother to stop him whenever he makes a lame excuse and runs away from him.  
  
It hurt, and Shiro had assumed Lance was either afraid of him, or hated him (and Shiro wouldn't blame him for any of it), but this offer gives him hope. Whatever had fractured between him and Lance, he wants to fix it.

* * *

  
  
Lance had always imagined that when he returned to Earth, his reunion with his family would be an emotional and tearful one. Nothing could have prepared him for the calm, almost cold way his mother speaks on the phone. The Garrison has already contacted them to tell them he's safe, and thanks to Sam they know what he's been up to for the past two years, so thankfully Lance doesn't have to go through all that, but from the tone in his mother's voice, he knows he's in trouble.  
  
He quickly explains the situation and asks if Shiro can stay with them, in his room, while they're on Earth. This, of course, prompts his mother to ask where Lance will sleep, and Lance has to admit to her that he can't stay for more than a day or two, only Shiro will be staying with them.  
  
The arrangements are set, and Lance is given a short weekend to fly Shiro to Varadero, drop him off and make sure he's comfortable before flying back so they can make a start on the necessary plans.  
  
Keith wants to go with them, but he is well and truly the Black paladin now, and Allura forbids it. She needs him there to go through all the formalities with the Garrison, and various other authorities, with her.  
  
“If you want to leave or come back at any time just call me. I'll come to get you, I can be there in no time in Black.”  
  
“Keith I'll be fine. I'm looking forward to going to the beach. I haven't been in so long,” Shiro tries to calm him.  
  
“Yeah but, you know, you might find it awkward or uncomfortable or something,” Keith flounders.  
  
“Are you saying my family isn't good enough?” Lance demands, his arms crossed.  
  
“No, that's not it. I'm just worried about Shiro.”  
  
“Keith. I'll be fine, really,” Shiro drops a hand and Keith's shoulder.  
  
“We have to go now. I promise I'll take it easy,” he gives Keith's shoulder a gentle squeeze before turning away to board the Red lion with Lance.  
  
“God, Keith is so uptight!” Lance growls throwing himself into the pilot's seat with a huff. He almost misses the breath of laughter that slips past Shiro's lips.  
  
“Oh, sorry Shiro. I didn't mean-”  
  
“Oh no, Keith is really uptight. He's taking this whole dying thing way too seriously,” Shiro says with a completely straight face that makes Lance laugh.  
  
“You're his family, he loves you. People are always a little crazy when it comes to family,” Lance sighs.  
  
“I know.” It's the first normal conversation they've had since he came back.  
  
“Anyway, speaking of families, I should probably warn you about my own. They'll love you trust me, but still, there are things you need to know,” Lance warns as they take off. Red roaring around them.  
  
The journey to Varadero is a short one, but by the time they get there, Shiro feels that he's known Lance's family for years with all the stories he's told. Notably, few of these stories involve Lance, or if they do, he glosses over his part in them. Shiro takes all of this in but doesn't say anything about it. He's happy just to hear Lance speak to him, and he’s afraid of breaking the spell.  
  
They land on a beach that's been cleared for their arrival, a short distance away a group of people stand huddled together, waving their arms and banners in the air. When they leave the lion, the crowd rushes on Lance like a tidal wave, and they consume him. Shiro takes a step back and watches from the side as a woman pulls Lance into her arms and crushes him close to her bosom.  
  
_“Mama, can't breath,”_ Lance pats her arm, trying to make her loosen her grip, but she only hugs tighter.  
  
_“Gone for so long and you didn't even think to tell me you were safe? I did not raise you to be like this!”_ She chides, pressing her face into the top of her sons head. His hair smells different, everything about him is so different she holds him even tighter before finally letting go and rounding on Shiro.  
  
“So you were out there with him?” She says in English, and there's an edge to her voice that doesn't seem entirely friendly.  
  
“Mama,” Lance warns, but Shiro knows he has to accept responsibility for what happened. Even if he's not the leader of Voltron any more.  
  
“Yes. My name is Takashi Shirogane,” he introduces himself and offers her his hand. His left, because it's the only one he still has. She stares at him for a moment before grabbing his hand and pulling him in for a hug that almost makes Shiro trip, but the woman's strong arms hold him up.  
  
“Thank you for looking after my son.”  
  
After several more hugs and introductions, the group makes their way across the beach. Lance's mother has his arm in a firm grip, and she drags him alongside her.  
  
_“That boy is the one in those posters in your room, isn't he?”_  
  
_“Hush, not so loud!”_ Lance hisses and looks over his shoulder afraid that Shiro might have heard and understood her, but Marco has an arm slung around Shiro's shoulder, and both of them are laughing at some joke.  
  
_“Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He seems like a very nice boy, but he could definitely use some sun,”_ she says, squeezing Lance's arm tighter. She can see what space has done to Shiro, and she feels for him, but selfishly, she's glad that Lance isn't as severely affected.  
  
_“He's been through a lot. You'll look after him, won't you.”_ There's wisdom beyond his years in her son's voice, an understanding of what has driven a young man like Shiro to become a shrivelled shell of himself.  
  
She doesn't want to let go of his arm.  
  
_“Of course I will.”_ She gives his arm another squeeze and then loosens her grip.

 

* * *

  
  
The entire family crowds into Lance's family home. Some of them break off into the kitchen, others wander to other parts of the house and the rest crowd into the living room dragging Shiro with them. They've taken him fully under they're wing already.  
  
“I'll just go get your room ready. Will you be ok here with these lot?” Lance asks, pushing his way through various relatives to get to Shiro.  
  
“What's that supposed to mean?” Marco laughs, and he playfully punches his brother in the shoulder.  
  
“Ow.”  
  
“I'll be fine,” Shiro promises with a smile, so Lance runs up to his room to fix it up for Shiro.

 

* * *

  
  
  
The evening passes in a blur of good food and good company. Shiro has never seen Lance more alive and animated. The conversation dips between English and Spanish, and Shiro is again introduced to every single family member. He hopes he can remember all their names.  
  
Night comes, and although several people leave for their own homes, plenty of others stay. The house is full of such life and warmth that Shiro feels comfortably at home.  
  
“Hey, want me to show you to your room?” Lance touches his shoulder, drawing his attention. It's late, and it's been a long day for both of them. Seeing the fatigue in Lance's eyes makes Shiro realise how tired he is.  
  
“Please.”  
  
Lance takes him upstairs and shows him to a small room painted in a dark blue with stars  
on the ceiling. From the messy bookshelf to the empty desk,

everything about the place tells him it's Lance's.  
  
“I changed the sheets, so they're fresh, and there's some pyjamas on the bed for you. They're an old pair of my dad’s, but they should fit.” Lance explains.  
  
“Thank you, Lance.” Shiro steps closer to him, and smiles. He feels like he should say more but then that look flashes in Lance's eyes and he looks away.  
  
“I need to go wash up, I'll be back to check on you in a bit.” And Lance makes his escape.  
  
Shiro sighs and turns to the bed. There's a set of pinstripe pyjamas laid out for him. He reaches for them, running the fabric between his fingers. The cotton is soft and smells of fresh laundry.  
  
He changes quickly, it’s awkward with only one arm, but he's gotten used to it. The pyjamas feel good against his skin, gentler and warmer than the thin, threadbare cotton of the clothes he took to space with him and has been wearing for the past two years or so. Next, he runs his hand over the sheets. They are soft too, better than the harsh, scratchy fabric of the emergency blankets they had to make do with after the castle was destroyed.  
  
A giggle from the doorway distracts him from his admiration of the comfortable bedclothes, and Shiro turns to see two small faces peeking around the door frame. Lance's niece and nephew.  
  
“Hello.”  
  
The two faces disappear for a moment, but then they peek out at him again, grinning wide.  
  
“How old are you?” Mia asks, stepping forward out of her hiding place.  
  
“You can't ask that!” Ben follows her with a gasp, his mouth open in a wide 'o'.  
  
“Sure I can. I'm just curious, I mean look at his hair it's so white he must be super old. Abuela's old and her hair isn't white so he must be even older,” she reasons.  
  
Ben scowls at her and then turns his attention to Shiro, his gaze lingering on Shiro's right shoulder.  
  
“I'm actually only six years old,” Shiro answers. Mia's eyes widen, and she stars for a moment before breaking out into a fit of giggles.  
  
“No, you're not.” She runs forward, looking up at him critically.  
  
“You don't look that old, but then your hair is all white,” she frowns.  
  
“Well, you see my hair turned white because I got too close to a star,” Shiro whispers as if he is sharing a secret.  
  
Mia's eyes widen, and she gasps. “Wow! Really?”  
  
Ben shuffles over to her and whispers something in her ear that makes her gasp.  
  
“Right, I almost forgot. Do you want to see something cool?” She asks, but before Shiro can answer the two children run over to Lance's wardrobe and start rummaging through it. They pull out a box and bring it over to Shiro, holding it out to him.  
  
Shiro crouches down in front of them. “Do you think you can open it for me?” He asks, waving his hand sheepishly. He knows he shouldn’t pry, and he should tell them to put the box back just in case it's something personal, but he's curious. Besides, he's sure Lance would hide something he really didn't want anyone to see better.  
  
Ben opens the box with a flourish and picks out the sheet of paper lying on top, brandishing it at Shiro.  
  
“Uncle Lance was running around taking these down earlier. He looked so funny,” he laughs.  
  
Shiro takes the piece of paper and delicately holds it between his fingers. It's a flyer advertising the Garrison, and sitting proudly on the front is a picture of Shiro. Glancing into the box, Shiro can see several others like it. All of them pictures of him. The corners are crinkled, and some are still sticky with blue tack, but it’s clear that every single picture was taken down with care so as not to damage it.  
  
It's not something Shiro should see. He places the flyer carefully back on top and pushes the lid closed.  
  
“You should put this back,” he says with such sobriety the children listen without question and look almost guilty when they close the wardrobe.  
  
“I won't tell Lance,” Shiro promises, and they brighten, “but you must promise not to go through people’s stuff without asking,” he adds seriously. They both hang their heads and mutter a sulky 'okay'.  
  
“So, what happened to your arm anyway?” Ben asks after a moment, staring at Shiro's shoulder again.  
  
“Well, now that is a funny story.”

* * *

  
  
“And then the monster came at me like this!” Shiro growls, his arm raised he takes a swipe at the children. They scream and run away from him.  
  
“Guys! What are you doing?” Lance stands in the doorway wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe, his face covered in a purple-tinged face mask. They all freeze and slowly look towards him.  
  
“Shiro was telling us how he lost his arm. He was just getting to the bit where you come to save him.”  
  
A flash of something crosses Lance's face, darker than anything Shiro has seen so far. It looks almost broken, but before Shiro can say anything, Lance hurries into the room towards the two children.  
  
“Ok, you two. Bedtime.”  
  
“Awww, but we want to hear the rest of the story.”  
  
“Bed, now.” Lance's tone is final, and they scuttle out of the room before they can get into trouble.  
  
“Good night Shiro!” Ben and Mia sing-song in unison before disappearing down the hall.  
  
“Sorry about them, they get a bit too hyper sometimes, especially when they meet someone new. It's good to see that hasn't changed.”  
  
“Lance.”  
  
“Anyway if you don't need anything else you should get some sleep, it's been a long day.”  
  
“Lance, please.”  
  
“I'll be on the sofa in the living room if you need me, or you can just knock on mama's door she won't mind.”  
  
“Lance!” Shiro grabs Lance's wrist and tugs on it, pulling him close. Lance stumbles and finally looks at him. There are tears in his eyes.  
  
“Lance, what's wrong?” Shiro asks his voice softer. He rubs a thumb across the back of Lance's hand trying to coax an answer out of him.  
  
“It's nothing. Let go,” Lance mutters, his head dropping again.  
  
“Tell me.”  
  
“...I'm not the one who saved you. I didn't do anything.”  
  
“Lance, that's not true, you-”  
  
“I heard you!” Lance yells. The tears are spilling down his cheeks now. “I heard you in that astral plane or whatever it was. I heard you, but I didn't realise, I didn't do anything. And you, the other you, he told me about his headaches, that he wasn't feeling right and I still couldn't figure it out. If I'd noticed it sooner then maybe, maybe...”  
  
Shiro pulls Lance towards him and throws his arm around the other man. He holds him tight, cradling him against his shoulder, letting him cry. Lance's whole body is tense, and he trembles against Shiro trying to hold back his sobs, but the tears flowed freely soaking Shiro's shirt.  
  
“You did help, Lance. You helped me, and you helped Ryou.”  
  
“Ryou?” Lance lifts his head. His face mask is smudge, and tear trails run through it. He's a mess, but Shiro smiles fondly.  
  
“It doesn't feel right to just call him a clone, or a copy of me. I've been calling him Ryou, he deserves a name of his own at least.”  
  
Lance blinks. The tears are still falling, but they've slowed down.  
  
“You helped to stabilise him. You were there to support him, and he knew he could rely on you. He trusted you, and he was able to fight off Haggar's control for that much longer because of it.”  
  
“But-”  
  
“And I was able to reach out to you in that place because I trust you. Because I know you are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. If we had been there longer, I might have been able to draw you to me and speak to you, but that wasn't your fault. It was just bad timing.”  
  
Lance drops his head back onto Shiro's shoulder. His sobs soft and quiet but his body is no longer so tense. Shiro rubs his back as he cries, and hushes away every word of apology Lance whispers between sobs.  
  
After a few moments, Lance pushes away, and Shiro lets him go because Lance seems calmer now.  
  
“God I'm such an idiot, Shiro. I'm sorry. You're the one who has the most reason to cry, not me,” Lance forces a laugh, and he smiles. It looks almost genuine.  
  
“This isn't a competition. You've suffered too, we all have. You're allowed to cry.”  
  
Lance's expression softens, and his smile is real now, although it is a sad one.  
  
“Thanks, Shiro,” he looks up at the man, his eyes widening at the mess on his shoulder.  
  
“Oh my god, I got my face goo and snot all over your shirt. You can't sleep in that. Give it here, I'll get you a new one.”  
  
“Oh? Are you asking me to strip for you? How forward,” Shiro teases with a quirk of his eyebrow. Lance flushes a bright red that Shiro can just about see patches off through the mess of the face mask.  
  
“I didn't mean, no, I'll go get you a clean one, and bring it back, then you can change.” Lance almost stumbles over his own feet in his hurry to leave the room.

 

* * *

  
  
Lance returns shortly, his face clean and free of the face mask. He knocks on the door and stands there with his eyes closed, a clean pyjama shirt held out in front of him.  
  
“Are you decent?”  
  
“You can come in, it is your room after all.” Shiro chuckles.  
  
Lance opens his eyes, and almost drops the shirt when he sees Shiro sitting on his bed, shirtless. “You said you were decent!”  
  
“No, I didn't, I said you could come in,” Shiro grins smugly. Lance stares at him for a moment before he throws the shirt at Shiro's face.  
  
Shiro laughs and deftly slips the shirt on.  
  
“Do you want me to do something about the sleeve?” Lance asks hesitantly, his eyes drawn to the empty sleeve hanging at Shiro's side.  
  
“Actually if you could roll it up that would be great.”  
  
Lance perches on the edge of the bed next to him and carefully rolls the sleeve up until it hooks around what's left of his metallic bicep. His fingers brush over the metal, lingering there for a moment before falling away.  
  
“There, I dunno how long that will hold but hopefully that will keep it out of your way.” Lance smiles and makes a move to get up, but before he can Shiro leans forward, curls  
his arm around Lance's waist and drags him down onto the fresh cotton sheets with him.  
  
Lance yelps. “Shiro, what are you doing?”  
  
“Getting comfy,”

Shiro yawns, pulling Lance closer.  
  
Cotton. Shiro marvels again at how soft and comfortable the clothing and the sheets feel. He's gotten so used to the Paladin armour, and the old worn clothes he's had to make do with. And thinking about it, cotton was the traditional theme for a two year anniversary, and it has been about two years since he first met Lance, give or take.  
  
“Shiro….are you already asleep?” Lance is tense beside him, but Shiro can feel him slowly relax.  
  
“Mmmhmm,” Shiro hums, his fingers tugging at the brushed cotton of Lance's pyjamas.  
  
Lance smacks his arm. “You aren't asleep, and you're supposed to be resting! What would Keith say.”  
  
“Keith's not here,” Shiro says, petulant. He sticks his tongue out, and Lance laughs, relaxing further into his embrace.  
  
“Ok fine, but you gotta tell me that story you were telling the kids. I have to make sure I come off good in it.”  
  
Shiro laughs. He snuggles closer and tells Lance the tale of a noble Paladin who was always looking out for his friends.  
  
Lance is asleep before Shiro gets to the climax of the story, and Shiro falls asleep shortly after, his arm still curled around Lance's waist.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. I rushed it to get it done in time, so I wasn't able to edit it as much as I normally would have, but let me know what you think <3 and I hope you all have a wonderful shancy day.


End file.
